For centuries, purple was seen as strictly royal, only worn by wealthy elites and nobles. These days, you can create purple dye within a day using kitchen scraps. In ancient times, however, achieving purple dye was no easy feat.
First, you had to collect thousands of snails. Then, you’d boil them for days and have to put up with the horrible stench created. The snails' chemical precursors produced purple hues under the heat to offer just a gram of Tyrian purple dye for every 9,000 snails.
As you can see, only the wealthiest patrons could afford purple clothing. In fact, Queen Elizabeth I established a law in 1574 prohibiting anyone outside of the royal family from wearing purple. Talk about exclusive!
Among other changes between modern times and the 16th century, you are now free to wear purple. Luckily, you don't have to spend as much money as Queen Elizabeth to do so.
Purple has kept its luxurious and royal connotations but has come to also symbolize wisdom, pride, magic, and creativity. Who wouldn't want to wear such a powerful color?
The easiest way to start sporting purple is with jewelry. Purple gemstones were around as early as 2000 BC, from light purple crystals like dreamy amethyst, to dark purple gemstones like lavish purple diamonds. Plus, there are so many more lovely purple hues to choose from. Lavender, mauve, violet, oh my!
What gems are naturally purple? Here we'll cover all the purple stones and their meanings, healing properties, and uses.
Let's start with the meaning of purple stones and gems.
Purple Gemstones Meaning
As you know, purple gemstones carry royal associations. For example, amethyst was historically coveted for its decadence and majesty. Other purple stones became popular as well, like purple diamonds and sapphires.
For many years, people wore purple gemstones as symbols of passion, power, and magic. Crystal healers for centuries celebrated purple gemstones for their spiritual properties and ability to enhance the mind.
Purple crystals identification can be tricky, as there are many similar types and shades. Don’t fret! By the end of this article, you'll be reciting all the purple stones names and relishing in their luxurious healing properties!
Without further ado, let's dive into our list of purple gemstones names.
List of Purple Gemstones
Amethyst
Lavender Rose Quartz
Kunzite
Purple Diamonds
Purple Sapphire
Iolite
Purple Spinel
Purple Tanzanite
Sugilite
Purple Tourmaline
Purple Garnet
Purple Jasper
Purple Jade
Purple Fluorite
Now for a closer look at what gems are naturally purple, let’s start with everyone’s favorite: amethyst!
Amethyst
Have you ever seen one of those huge purple geodes in an occult shop? Chances are, you were looking at amethyst! These quartz gemstones have long been considered a mystical purple gem. Fittingly, amethyst is the zodiac stone for the mysterious and spiritual Aquarius.
Ancient Greeks thought amethyst had the power to prevent intoxication, even naming the stone after the Greek amethystus, meaning "not drunk." Leonardo Da Vinci thought amethyst supported intelligence and reduced evil thoughts, and legends claim Saint Valentine wore an amethyst ring.
Royalty in the 18th century often sported amethyst, notably Russian Empress Catherine the Great, who wore plenty of dazzling amethyst jewelry.
With a 7 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, amethyst is a strong stone. You can find it in various shades, including deep purple to lighter lilac.
Amethyst is naturally purple, but many amethysts undergo heat treatment to turn into yellow citrine. If you prefer lighter shades of purple, then Rose de France amethyst is the one for you!
Amethyst connects with your third-eye chakra, helping you achieve mental clarity. It boasts other healing properties as well, like:
Soothed migraines
Support with sobriety
Balanced emotions
Reduced stress
These days, you can find amethyst for a reasonable price. At $2-$30 per carat, anyone can enjoy a charming amethyst ring or glittering amethyst bracelet!
If you're born in February, amethyst is your birthstone! If you just adore amethyst, you'll love the next stone on our list!
Ametrine
Ametrine is amethyst and citrine's love child. This quartz variety is at its prime when it has an even balance of purple and yellow. Most ametrine stones, however, have uneven mixes, like 75% yellow and 25% purple, or 10% yellow and 90% purple. This color combo is perfect, as purple and yellow are complementary colors on the color wheel.
Ametrine's meaning is multifaceted; it glows with strength, balance, and harmony. It also symbolizes creativity and vitality. When it comes to chakra openings and healing properties, this gem packs a punch.
Since ametrine is a mix of two lovely gemstones, you get double the benefits. The amethyst half balances your crown chakra, while the citrine half opens your solar plexus chakra. Crystal healers love how ametrine detoxifies the body and helps heal fatigue, arthritis, and skin irritation.
On an emotional level, ametrine promotes restraint, helping you stay calm and composed in even the most stressful situations.
We know, you're sold! Now, where do people find this gorgeous gemstone? Bolivia, South America! This locale has also led to ametrine’s alternative name: Bolivianite!
Lavender Rose Quartz
What stone is light purple? Lavender rose quartz! You might know rose quartz as pink macrocrystalline quartz. But some of these gemstones come in a light purple or lavender rose color.
These dreamy stones are usually translucent and great for lovey-dovey types. They're known as tokens of love in Tibetan and Chinese culture, attracting love and enhancing self-esteem.
Nicknamed the "Stone of Unconditional Love," "Stone of Love and Relationships," and "Stone of Self-Love," it's no wonder rose quartz is the zodiac stone for the Venus-ruled Taurus and Libra signs.
Crystal healers recommend wearing lavender rose quartz over the heart, often in a necklace, because it connects to the heart chakra. Shocker, right?
The heart chakra opens up with rose quartz, inviting you to welcome love and compassion into your life. These light purple crystals have even more impressive healing properties, like enhancing brain power, promoting clear skin, and heightening blood circulation.
To maximize the benefits of lavender rose quartz, wear one as a necklace, soak it in bathwater, or use it as a facial roller for clearer, smoother skin.
Is lavender rose quartz the only purple love stone? For all you romantics out there, there are more loving purple gemstones for you to enjoy!
Kunzite
While many purple gemstones appear early in history, kunzite is a relatively modern stone. Discovered by its namesake George Frederick Kunz in 1902, kunzite ranges from pink to purple shades due to a high concentration of manganese.
Kunzite’s clarity is strong, so it doesn't require much cleaning. This gem ranks a strong 6.5 - 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, similar to the rose quartz. These love stones are certainly not soft!
This stone symbolizes good fortune, fertility, inner peace, and self-confidence. Though it opens up the heart chakra like rose quartz, kunzite is also known to align and release all the chakras, promoting unity of soul and heart.
Kunzite boasts strong healing properties like promoting self-assurance, soothing broken hearts, alleviating anger, and supporting breathing issues.
Purple Diamonds
Many people hear “diamond” and imagine a white wedding ring, but this April birthstone comes in lots of different colors, including purple!
We know that the rarest diamond in the world is the red diamond. Of those, there are actually purplish red diamonds that obtain their hue from a rare formation process. Instead of inclusions, the hue comes from light passing through these stones differently than it does with white and colorless diamonds.
These beautiful stones are the strongest in the world, ranking a 10 on the Mohs scale. The strength of these carbon minerals gave them the name, after the Greek adamas, meaning “invincible.” Ancient Greek myths also attributed protection from death to the diamond.
Similar to the amethyst, diamonds were worn by nobles and priests in the 1400s. The stone symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and protection, according to Ancient Indian lore. Many crystal healers also associate them with fidelity, longevity, and accomplishment.
Diamonds are pretty strong, but there are other comparatively strong purple gemstones out there. Of these durable gems, what stones are dark purple?
Purple Sapphire
Most people recognize sapphire as a deep, rich blue gemstone. It’s not surprising, considering the word comes from the Ancient Greek sapheiros for "blue stone." Ancient Greeks wore blue sapphires when visiting Delphi's Oracle, who provided guidance and visions of the future.
Did you know that sapphires come in all sorts of colors, including purple? These are often higher-quality gems with impressive strength and durability. You can find purple sapphires in shades of violet and indigo. Violet sapphires represent inner peace, while indigo sapphires enhance spiritual health by eliminating toxicity from the soul.
For energy healing, violet sapphires connect with our third eye chakra, helping us trust our intuition and imagination. Violet sapphires are also known to promote self-confidence. Here are some other great sapphire healing properties you can take advantage of:
Better sleep quality
Improved blood disorders
Eye and ear health
Reduced vertigo
Moving on, what crystal is purple and clear?
Iolite
Iolite can be a purple and clear gemstone, as it ranges from translucent to transparent! Nicknamed the "Stone of Vision," iolite is commonly associated with foresight, acceptance, and unity between body and soul. This violet semi-precious gemstone is a gem-quality cordierite composed of magnesium iron aluminum silicate.
Are you prone to falls and tumbles? If so, iolite might be the stone for you, as its 7 ranking on the Mohs scale makes it pretty scratch-resistant. You might confuse this deep purple stone with amethyst but remember: amethyst is quartz and iolite is cordierite.
In addition to the "Stone of Vision," iolite is also called the "Viking's Compass," as its pleochroism helped sailors find the sun's direction on overcast days. No wonder the stone has historically symbolized intuition, self-awareness, and direction!
If you're after healing, iolite will check your boxes. Party-goers that are happy-go-lucky with the wine will appreciate iolite's purported ability to detoxify the liver. Iolite is also known to boost your immune system, soothe insomnia, and reduce headaches.
Emotionally, iolite helps you stay focused and combat brain fog. If you're suffering from writer's block, iolite can help get your creative juices flowing with confidence!
Purple Spinel
When first discovered, spinel stones made miners' heads spin since they looked eerily similar to rubies and sapphires. These gems range from pale purples to rich reds, blues, and oranges, similar to the sapphires people confused them for! Purple varieties of spinel are typically pastel in shade and obtain their color from exposure to elements like chromium, cobalt, and iron.
Spinel’s name derives from the Latin word for thorn, spina, as the crystals were originally thought to resemble spiky thorns. However, that's more of a legend, as it’s near-impossible to find thorn-shaped spinel crystals.
Crystal healers have long applauded spinel's strong ties to hope, joy, and vitality, and these associations perfectly correspond to its use as a root chakra stone. Some of spinel's healing properties include:
Balanced emotions
Soothing from trauma
Reduced inflammation
Protection from negative energy
Spinel is a well-traveled purple gemstone, as it appears all over the world in Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Africa, and Russia! Spinel is both the August birthstone and zodiac stone for Aries, Scorpio, Taurus, and Sagittarius.
Purple Tanzanite
December babies, it’s time to learn about one of your birthstones: tanzanite! Tanzanite is a blue and violet variety of zoisite, a member of the epidote mineral group. These purple bad boys have been around for 585 million years, formed from tectonic plate shifting in Tanzania, Africa.
Tanzanite purple gemstones are transparent and almost always eye-clean with a rich deep violet color. Despite its old age, tanzanite hasn't been on the jewelry market very long. Tanzanite’s lifetime is short and sweet, as geologists predict the remaining supply will be gone within 20 years, making these rare and highly desired gemstones.
What is a purple crystal used for? Purple tanzanite is used to transform negative energies into positive energies, a power reflective of its ability to change color from different angles and lighting (called pleochroism in the gem trade.)
Tanzanite purple gemstones symbolize intelligence, peace, and calm. Healing properties include boosted creativity, reinforced healthy habits, and improved self-awareness.
If you're on the self-aware train, you'll love our next stone!
Sugilite
Named after geologist Ken-ichi Sugi, sugilite is an opaque, striking stone with similar hues to amethyst. Found in South Africa, Japan, and Canada, sugilite can also display richer dark purple hues.
This purple stone is part of the cyclosilicate group and contains potassium, sodium, and lithium ferric iron silicate.
Like tanzanite, sugilite helps you understand your true purpose in life by improving your self-awareness. It's also known to increase your sense of gratitude and appreciation.
Known as the "Healing Stone," sugilite offers spiritual and psychic protection by dispelling negative energies from your aura. Sugilite has many emotional healing properties, like reduced stress, lower anxiety, and improved feelings of calm.
Rubellite Tourmaline
Rubellite tourmaline is primarily a red gemstone; however, its gorgeous purple shade that peeks out in certain lighting earns it a spot on our list!
Rubellite, like other tourmaline varieties, contains iron and manganese, which offer it an incredible magnetism! October Libras enjoy double the benefits of rubellite tourmaline, as it's both the October birthstone and zodiac stone for Libra!
Tourmaline represents understanding, compassion, and creativity. In Ancient India, tourmaline was thought to foster access to wisdom and insight from divine entities. It's no surprise then that rubellite tourmaline is especially lovely for the heart chakra, where we connect with our self-love and spirituality.
The highest quality rubellite tourmaline comes from Madagascar and Kenya, but other tourmaline varieties are found all over the world!
Purple Garnet
Garnets encompass a wide variety of crystals, with varying colors that, of course, include purple! The garnet gemstone family has multiple species, but every species shares an isometric crystal structure.
Garnet comes from the Latin word granatum, meaning “seed,” as Ancient Greeks noticed a resemblance between garnets and pomegranate seeds, especially rhodolite garnets.
Garnet’s pomegranate shape earned it an association with Persephone, the goddess of spring and queen of the underworld in Greek mythology. Rhodolite garnet, a blend of almandine and pyrope, resembles the seeds of a pomegranate the most with gorgeous bright reddish-purple shades.
Garnets symbolize passion and everlasting love, as well as representing all things woman, like femininity and fertility. Seen as a source of direction and light, these gems connect to the root, sacral, and solar plexus chakras. If you're feeling down on yourself, carry a garnet around to boost your confidence and block out negative energy!
Purple Jasper
Jasper is a form of microcrystalline quartz (AKA: chalcedony) that's been around since Earth's first days. Appropriately, those born in the first days of spring are graced with jasper as their March birthstone.
As a zodiac stone for Virgo, jasper carries many grounding and healing properties. This earthy stone can grant you:
Peace of mind
Protection from negative energy
Improved sleep quality
Enhanced communication and self-confidence
Support with recognizing your potential
Consistent with its earthiness, jasper is such a pleasure to our sense of touch, as its common cabochon cut offers a soft, smooth body to feel in times of stress.
One variety with splendid purple hues is imperial jasper. You can find these rare gems in San Cristobal, Mexico. Speaking of Mexico—let's check out a gem that ancient Mexican royalty adored.
Purple Jade
You might know jade as a deep to pale green gemstone, but there's also a renowned lavender jade! This lucky charm of a gemstone ranks at a mid-range 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale, but its internal crystal structure makes it impressively tough.
Jade was present in Ancient China around 2000 BC. People saw jade as a link between nature and heaven. Later, jade was a symbol of social status and authority. Emperor Qianlong loved jade so much that he collected exorbitant amounts and even wrote poems about it!
Jade comes from the Spanish phrase, piedra de ijada, meaning “stone for pain in the side.” In 1500s Central America, indigenous people held jade against their sides to soothe kidney problems.
In Ancient Mayan culture, the wealthiest families would place jade beads in the mouths of loved ones on their deathbeds. Then, they'd take the stone and rub it along their face after their death, as the jade was thought to absorb the soul.
The Mayan elite used jade as jewelry as well. Mayans wore polished jade pendants around their neck. In these times, jade was more desired than gold!
Modern meanings for jade include prosperity, wisdom, virtue, and of course, love. Joining lavender rose quartz as a love stone, jade connects with your heart chakra, helping you open your heart to love, be it love from others or self-love!
In terms of healing properties, jade is known to support you with:
Boosted immune system
Clear skin (jade roller, anyone?)
Improved blood circulation
Increased confidence
Unity of body and mind
Ready for one more purple gemstone?
Purple Fluorite
Fluorite is the freshest stone there is, and we're not talking about toothpaste. This kaleidoscopic gemstone sure knows how to stay in style with countless colors and uses. As a Type II clarity stone, fluorite tends to have some visible inclusions, though the highest quality specimens are crystal clear.
Composed of calcium and fluorine, fluorite is an allochromatic mineral, meaning it’s colorless in its pure state. The earth's natural formation processes give fluorite its wide range of colors. Purple hues occur when irradiation or heating push some of the fluoride ions out of their original positions in the crystal lattice.
In Ancient China, people saw fluorite as a protective dreaming stone. Nowadays, the violet fluorite variety is a "dream crystal," which promotes lucid dreaming and blocks nightmares.
Fluorite comes from the Latin word fluere, which means flow. Aptly, the stone encourages a steady flow of direction when you're feeling confused. Those born under Capricorn or Pisces can also use fluorite as a lucky zodiac stone.
Purple fluorite links to your crown chakra, helping you find your inner purpose and calling. If you're feeling disconnected or cynical, purple fluorite can help the positive vibes flow!
Feeling Enchanted with Purple Gems?
If you’re dreaming of purple crystals, why not turn that dream into a reality and sport some royal flair? Tune into your self-awareness and look like a queen while doing it with some fabulous purple gemstone jewelry!
Find the perfect purple gemstone today!
